<p>Audi...I totally agree. It is truly not competitive there. My D cares deeply about her friends' casting and does not want to miss seeing any of their shows and is even greatly disappointed if a friend is in a show that is at her time slot, because it means not going to support it. Then for the shows at opposing time slots, she chooses to see ones to support certain friends. I also feel that the camper audiences are extremely supportive. I think this is different than at school, for example, where other kids will be polite in the audience but at SDM these kids really LOVE seeing shows and are so into theater and all that jazz so they are a different kind of audience. I mean if you were at Jekyll and Hyde on Saturday night last session, for example, I felt like some of the kids in the audience were the biggest cheerleaders I have ever seen. I realize there was like two rows of kids who had recently "graduated SDM" and came back to see the show and were friends with the leads but they were like giving standing ovations after every song, lol. I think it must be a rush to perform for one another there! You are right about the dance show having a lot of hootin' and hollarin'. I recall one video where they had to come on and ask the audience to stop calling out so much and actually I thought some kids went overboard because to yell out names during dances like that, detracts from the performance. Yelling out AFTER a dance ends, is another story. I also like how the older kids befriend younger ones and support them. My D said that in Jekyll and Hyde there were some 13 year olds in her cast and she enjoyed them and thought they were very talented and she knows that she has some responsibility in the sense that these kids look up to her and she never forgets when she was in their shoes and wanted to emulate the older kids herself. I recall a college essay where she spoke to this in fact. But anyway, the ages mix well there. My D always was very close with kids from one to four years older than herself and nobody treated her as younger. And now, she was in a cast with some 13 year olds happily as well. Normally she never mixes with 13 year olds. In fact, she is directing a program for kids that age in a couple weeks, not ALONGSIDE them as she was in her show at SDM but at SDM, everyone is almost 'ageless' and is one family of theater loving kids. The atmosphere is hard to describe to those who have not been there. My D has always felt she lives in two different worlds, one of her home peers and one of her SDM peers...very different sets of friends....loves them both. But very different worlds. </p>
<p>You saw Pippin? Did ya see it in the Forum or in the Elsie due to rain one night? My D was in that! She was The Leading Player and she loved that musical and the role and the director who is now YOUR son's director!</p>
<p>I saw it in the Forum. I remember it raining and they switched it to the Elsie. I know your D was the Leading player and we were in NYC last year at the show Brooklyn and the boy that played Pippin (cant remember his name) walked up to my S and his friend Katie (ensemble of Pippin) and they all started hugging. I believe he is at Cap 21 also for school. I loved the show Pippin and thought Larry did a great job with that. He taught my son Fosse dance that summer so it was a perfect vehicle for Larry to direct.
Cap 21 was also like SDM in that everyone was very supportive. They would have classes where they would have to sing a song or do a scene from a show and then be critiqued by the teacher and other members of the class. I saw that everyone was always so positive in the things they spoke about. They all applauded each other and always had something really good to say. It was nice to see when there are so many stories in the news about sport events where parents and coaches get in fist fights with one another. This MT thing is always so "civilized" when you can see that it has the potential to get nasty due to competitiveness.</p>
<p>To Audi,
Larry is super into Fosse. Last year, when my D was one of the hosts of Camper Showcase and the hosts were impersonating various staff members, my D played Larry. She had a stocking over her hair (to look like his head) and wore his Fosse tee shirt with boy's big shorts. LOL You are right that Pippin was a great one for Larry to direct, given his Fosse passion and skill. There were some very good dancers in that show. </p>
<p>My D says that R. who played Pippin is at Tisch but in Strasberg studio, not CAP. The girl who played Fastrada (who used to room with my D) is at Tisch but for film but she is a serious dancer too. The boy who was the king is going to BOCO (and is at camp now). The girl who played the grandmother is on Broadway. </p>
<p>I can picture that scene in NYC with the hugging. Cause one thing at SDM that is different than home (at least in our community) is that I don't think you can walk more than five steps without three friends running up to you and hugging you and saying "I love you!". It is like quite the love fest! When I am there, I'm thinking, didn't you just see one another 30 minutes ago? (they are hugging and doing the "I love you's" as if they had not seen each other in 30 years! ) When I was at camp two weeks ago and many of my D's friends came back to see the shows (this was a group of primarily 18 and 19 year olds), some of them were even hugging me as if I was somehow part of their little SDM family but I guess it is all part of the thing with them. Their friends at home definitely do not do this. :D</p>
<p>I wish I could see your son's show! I might figure out who he is when the cabaret does an excerpt at Kutscher's Sunday. I know my D knows him but I doubt she will be sitting with me. </p>
<p>Soozie- I told M to seek out your daughter for 5 minutes and have her point you out to him so he could say hello. He didn't get any solos in the cabaret but he does alot of dancing. He is about 5'5", 100 lbs and has short dark curly hair. I know you are so busy and enjoying the whole reunion thing so don't worry about it, but he may try to make contact with you if he can. Just enjoy and relax.</p>
<p>Audi, I will look for him when the cabaret performs but I think they are just doing a short excerpt, not sure, but may just be World Goes Round, something like that, definitely not the whole shebang. My guess is that your son will run into my D as she is with a large group of kids returning for this and your son knows many of them and several were in Les Mis with him and so he will want to see them too. </p>
<p>I will try to let ya know what the whole thing was like when I get back. </p>
<p>Susan, I knew a few days ago that they were going and it was so hard to keep it a secret! I knew the kids would be thrilled. :) Em thinks they're a very cute couple but I told her not to get any ideas of looking for a 30 year old boyfriend! Have fun tomorrow.</p>
<p>AlwaysAMom, I pretty much knew as well they were going to the reunion. I did not know they were walking into class today, but heard it through the grapevine.</p>
<p>Wow thats a long grapvine lol. Thats very down to earth of Mandy to do that(walk into class like that), no body guard nothing. Its usually "kids Mandy Moore is coming to the reunion, now theres a few rules... no touching,speaking,or assosiating with her" lol.</p>
<p>Tell us more about Moore!!!!! My D is absolutely dying to hear what they talked about. Mady Moore is one of her heros, up there with Sutton Foster and Idina Menzel. She also loves Zach Braff, especially adored Garden State.....and Natalie Portman is also another hero! Give us details!!!!</p>
<p>Angst, I knew about their going to the reunion through family connections. And yes, Zach and Mandy are dating. I'm sure your D knows who he is. He's probably best known for starring in the tv show Scrubs, and for his movie Garden State, which he wrote, directed, and starred in, coincidentally (or not ;)) with Natalie Portman.</p>
<p>Theres rumors going around that she can't make it to the reunion but shes going to show up third session. I dont know if someone made that up to tease us third sessioners or what but it would be awsome.</p>
<p>Ok D. called and said she saw Mandy Moore who was very pretty, Josh Graf, Jon Cryer, someone from the Sopranos..who sang, Michael Ian Black and she wasnt sure who else. She said they were told not to talk to them or take pics. </p>
<p>She said it was nice but lasted a very long time time.</p>